Matthew Norman lives in Baltimore with his wife and their two daughters. His writing has appeared on Salon, the Good Men Project, and the Weeklings. His first novel, Domestic Violets, was nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award in Best Humor. Visit his blog at www.thenormannation.com, or follow him on Twitter @TheNormanNation.
“In We're All Damaged, Matthew Norman has crafted a fast-paced,
funny, and touching story. Comparisons to Tropper and Hornby will
be made, and deservedly so, but Norman's voice and characters are
fresh and all his own. A winning novel that is sure to make you
laugh, cry and nod in recognition as all the best books do.”
—Catherine McKenzie, bestselling author of Hidden and Smoke
“We’re All Damaged is explosively funny and fast-moving; a wild
whacked-out romp that travels from New York to Omaha and back
again. In the end, though, Matthew Norman has written a sweet story
about family and love and how they sustain us.” —Jessica Anya Blau,
author of The Trouble With Lexie
“In We’re All Damaged, Matthew Norman takes humor and heartache,
pathos and pop culture, love and loss, family and friends, Cubs and
Cornhuskers, marriage equality and male blow-up sex dolls; blends
them into a sublime literary margarita; and serves it on the rocks
with salt. There’s just so much to savor here, it’s impossible not
to enjoy.” —Greg Olear, author of Fathermucker and Totally
Killer
“A smart, funny, and surprisingly emotional tale about letting go
and moving on.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Matthew Norman’s whip-smart, hilarious dialogue will dazzle you,
even as his characters crack your heart with their humanity and
their in-spite-of-everything love for one another. I laughed, I
cried (sometimes simultaneously), and, with every page, I wished
like mad I’d written this book.” —Marisa de los Santos, Author of
The Precious One and Belong to Me
“We’re All Damaged is a brilliantly textured anthem for anyone
who’s ever nursed a broken heart.” —Allie Larkin, author of Why
Can’t I Be You
“In Matt Norman’s We’re All Damaged, just about everything that
could happen to a guy happens—a divorce, a new city, a dying
grandfather, a mother who's angling for a commentator gig on Fox
News. And somehow I was laughing every page. But the tenderness
with which he writes his characters and their worst moments is what
really lingers long after you've finished reading. I've always
thought we needed a Nick Hornby on this side of the pond, and I
finally think we've found him.” —Jen Michalski, The Summer She Was
Under Water and The Tide King
Praise for Domestic Violets:
“All this misery makes for good comedy charmingly drawn.”
—Washington Post
“Norman’s debut novel is funny and incisive, and hard on sacred
cows.” —Shelf Awareness
“Norman controls his complicated story and handles its chaos and
plot twists with a steady, funny hand...This is a thoroughly
entertaining, light, but thoughtful read.” —Publishers Weekly
“Reminiscent of Richard Russo’s earlier work, Norman’s refreshingly
witty style is perfectly suited to articulating the trials of a
middle-aged cynic. Wonderfully fast-paced, hilariously genuine,
difficult to put down, Domestic Violets is an ideal first novel.”
—Booklist
“Timing, so important in comedy, is also exacting in Mr. Norman’s
expert hands...Domestic Violets leaves the reader satisfied by the
intriguing plot written in a comic spirit; it also endears the
author and hero to the reader for maximum poignancy.” —New York
Journal of Books
“Norman’s hilarious debut novel is a tale of a man’s middle-age
quest to differentiate himself from his father and decide what’s
worth changing and what’s worth keeping in his life.” —Washington
Independent Review of Books
“Domestic Violets is a fast, fun, hilarious read.” —Jessica Anya
Blau, critically acclaimed author of The Summer of Naked Swim
Parties and Drinking Closer to Home
“Domestic Violets is a wonderfully readable, riotous story...told
with humor and surprising intimacy.” —Susan Richards Shreve, author
of A Student of Living Things
“Matthew Norman has written a dastardly fun satire of contemporary
domestic life [with] surprising twists on all the old conventions
and a fresh perspective on a literary foundation that hearkens back
to Philip Roth, John Updike, and John Cheever. An astoundingly good
read!” —Joshua Gaylord, author of Hummingbirds
Ask a Question About this Product More... |